42 ALTRICIAL GRALLATORES — HERODIONES. 



son is extremely unsuspicious and easily approaclied. It acquires its full plumage 

 the second year, but continues to increase in size for several years. The flesh of 

 tlie young bird is said to afford good eating. Its food consists of small fry, water 

 insects, slugs, snails, leeches, and aquatic lizards. 



According to Mr. Moore, it is a true scraper or raker ; but, like the Reddish Egret, 

 resorts to this practice much less frequently than the cam/idissima. It saunters 

 about at times in the waters of the Bay, near the shores, on sandbars, and in the 

 fresli ponds, in an awkward and heedless manner. There is less dash and impetuosity 

 in its style of tishing, or seeking its prey, than in that of the Eeddish Egret, although 

 it runs through the clear water of the Bay, with its wings exj)anded, and sometimes 

 flapping, suddenly wheeling, and halting to keep its eyes on the flying fish. At 

 other times — imitating the little Green Heron — having noticed some object near the 

 surface, a yard or more distant, it lowers its head, doubles uj) its neck, draws its head 

 back to its shoulders, holds its bill in a line with its back, which is parallel to the 

 surface of the water, and creeping along by very slow steps till within striking 

 distance, thrusts its bill forward suddenly at the object. This is a very common 

 practice, either in the Bay or in fresh ponds, and only this bird and the Green Heron 

 adopt this catlike mode of creeping, crouching, and springing upon their prey. 



Eggs of this species in my collection, ol^tained by Dr. Bryant in Florida, measure 

 1.80 inches in length by 1.32 in breadth. They are oval in shape, one end but just 

 perceptibly more obtuse than the other. Their color is Prussian blue, with a slight 

 shading of green, and of a deeper tint than most of the eggs of this family. 



Mr. Moore tliinks that this bird has at least two broods in a season, as he has 

 found fresh eggs laid April 10, May 10, and June 1. On the 30th of March, 1874, 

 he found a nest of this species containing six eggs, and on April 15 it had five young 

 and one egg. 



"oo- 



Genus FLORIDA, Baikd. 



Florida, BAinn, B. N. Am. IS.'iS, liTl. Type, Anka ewrtdea, LiNN. 



F. ccerulea. 



Gen. Char. Small Herons, dark [iluiubeous, with maroon-colored necks ; pure white, with 

 bluish tips to some of tlie primaries ; or with the plumage varioush intermediate lietween these 



